


Feeling Free

by theexhaustedalchemist



Series: 30 Day OTP challenge! (Kit/Ty) [9]
Category: The Dark Artifices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: 30 Day OTP Challenge, Alec giving some pretty good advice, Anxiety, Coming Out, Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Jace acting like a father, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23959492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theexhaustedalchemist/pseuds/theexhaustedalchemist
Summary: 30 Day OTP ChallengeDay 9: Hanging out with friendsWhere Kit struggles with revealing his relationship with Ty to Jace.*Spoilers (kinda) for parts of QoAaD**Basically compliant with QoAaD but not with what happens with Ty and Kit*
Relationships: Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Julian Blackthorn/Emma Carstairs, Kit Rook & Alec Lightwood, Kit Rook & Jace Wayland, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Simon Lewis/Isabelle Lightwood, Tiberius Blackthorn/Kit Rook
Series: 30 Day OTP challenge! (Kit/Ty) [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1715980
Comments: 12
Kudos: 104





	Feeling Free

“Ty! Kit! The portal’s here!” Tavvy had found the two boys in the library, curled up on a couch together each reading their respective books.

“Thank you Tavvy,” Kit said, smiling as he ruffled the eight-year-old’s hair affectionately. 

As he and Ty walked hand-in-hand down the hall together, he couldn’t help the anxiety rising in him. Part of that was that he always was nervous to see his older and much more skilled cousin Jace. But the main thing that had been eating at him for the past week when Emma told them Jace, Jace’s siblings and their significant others, Clary, and Jace’s two nephews were coming for both a friendly visit and to discuss some Downworlder issues, was having to tell them all about his relationship with Ty. Especially Jace.

Kit and Ty had secretly dated for a few months before telling the Blackthorns. They now had been dating for almost six months. Kit didn’t know exactly what he was worried about. Obviously being gay wasn’t a problem with his family and their friends, as Alec was gay and even married to a warlock, while Mark Blackthorn was bisexual and in a relationship with two other people (all three of them were currently in Unseelie and wouldn’t be attending the dinner today). He wasn’t worried about that. He also wasn’t worried about anyone thinking he was replacing Livvy as the important person in Ty’s life as Jace knew that after loss you move on, and Julian had thanked him multiple times for being there for Ty in a way he couldn’t. And he wasn’t worried about Jace’s or anyone else’s opinion about Ty. He loved Ty so much and didn’t care if others didn’t see what he saw. But he couldn’t get the gnawing feeling out of his chest no matter how many times he told himself that there was nothing to worry about. 

Ty squeezed his hand as they walked down the Institute’s stairs together and made their way out and to the beach. Both groups had agreed to meet there on the first night to have dinner by the ocean. 

The wind blew Kit’s hair into his face, and he smoothed it down nervously as he and Ty slowly made their way down the path. The sun was sinking lower in the sky as the sunset began to approach. The seagulls squawking and the gentle splashing of the waves on the shore got louder as the grass turned to sand.

When they arrived at the setup, Julian and Emma were already at a huge plastic table in the process of opening the containers of food Julian had made throughout the day. The scent of lasagna drifted through the air, and Kit’s stomach growled despite its churning. Tavvy was splashing in the surf, with Julian glancing at him every so often to make sure he was staying safe. Kit could see Dru leading the visitors down from their portal to the beach. 

Kit felt his heart begin to pound in his chest and heard a ringing in his ears. He felt Ty’s hand on his shoulder and a soft voice in his ear. “Let’s sit down.”

Ty pulled out a chair and Kit sat down, not feeling much better. Ty frowned at his neutral expression as it was juxtaposed to the sweat on Kit’s brow and the shaking of his body. “What’s wrong, Kit?”

“N-nothing.”

“We don’t have to tell Jace and the rest of them tonight if you don’t want to.”

“No I do!” Kit quickly said, running a hand through his hair. Dru was almost to the beach, the visitors behind her were talking amongst themselves.

“Then what’s wrong?”

“I-I don’t know. I really don’t. I guess I’m just nervous.”

“Wait. Isn’t Jace basically you’re only relative left that you’re close to?”

“Yes?” Kit said, not sure where Ty was headed.

“Isn’t it a thing that people are nervous to introduce their significant other to their parents and family? Jace is the closest thing you have to a parent that’s related to you.”

“That’s pretty perceptive, Ty. That might be it,” Kit exclaimed, his eyes wide. Ty looked pretty pleased with himself. Before he could reply, there was a loud commotion as Jace, Clary, Alec and Magnus’s family, Simon, and Isabella had all arrived. Emma was hugging Clary, Jace had a hand on Julian’s shoulder and was saying something that made him laugh, and Alec and Magnus were crouched down and talking to their kids and Tavvy, who had run over to them as soon as they stepped on the sand. Simon and Isabella approached the table with warm smiles on their faces. 

“Hi Ty! Hi Kit!” Isabella said, taking a seat next to Kit. Simon sat down next to her, taking her hand that was rested on the table as he greeted the boys as well. 

“How are you?” Kit asked, trying to be polite despite his nerves. 

“We’re doing well! Simon, what was that show that you thought they’d like?”

As Simon began to speak about a new show involving Sherlock Holmes, Kit felt more anxious by the second as the greetings were finishing and everyone was making their way to the table. Ty put a reassuring hand on Kit’s leg, a gesture meant only for Kit. 

“It’s not very Herondale of you to have not made fun of Simon yet.” Kit felt himself freeze at the voice and hand on his shoulder and turned slightly in his chair. Right behind him stood Jace, a cocky grin on his face as Simon scowled at him. Kit forced a smile as he stood up. 

“It’s good to see you, Jace.”

“Is it? I haven’t heard from you since our last visit for Julian and Emma’s wedding seven months ago.”

Kit knew Jace was teasing, but he still swallowed back a feeling of guilt. He had meant to call Jace. But soon after the wedding, he and Ty had started dating, and he knew he couldn’t lie to Jace. 

“I’m sorry. I promise I meant to,” Kit said, looking away from Jace. Before Jace could reply, Julian was calling to get everyone’s attention. Jace turned and went to sit next to his fiancé, putting an arm across the back of her chair. Kit swallowed and looked at Julian, his heart racing.

“It’s good to see all of you,” Julian began, smiling warmly. “I’ve missed you guys. Tonight, please enjoy spending time with each other.” He sat down and Kit tapped his foot on the ground quietly, trying to forget about his worries as he was handed a salad bowl. 

The group ate as Alec briefed them, more in depth than his letters to the Institutes, about his new leadership as Consul. As Alec spoke, with the other visitors occasionally chiming in, Kit could barely listen, his mind racing with what could go wrong. 

Everyone was finishing eating, when Ty glanced over at him and asked softly, “Are you ready?” The plan was to tell everyone as soon as dinner was done so that they didn’t have to wait too long to get it off their chests, but it would give everyone time to eat and get settled in. Kit felt his breathing accelerate as he heard himself mumble something about using the bathroom. He stumbled out of his seat, knocking into the table, earning concerned looks from the table. “Kit, are you okay?” Julian asked, worry coming to his face. 

Kit couldn’t breathe as he nodded, half dragging his feet as he walked away from the table. He wasn’t sure where he was headed, just sure that he needed space from the conversation and the expectations and Jace and-

“Kit?” Kit turned around at the voice, surprised to see Alec standing there.

“W-What-”

“Julian told me about your and Ty’s announcement tonight. I promise I didn’t tell anyone; he just told me in case you needed someone who understands what you’re going through,” Alec said, smiling faintly as he walked over to a rock and sat down. Kit followed, sitting down next to him. 

“I know it’s not my place,” Alec continued. “And that you would prefer Ty comforting you, but I asked him to stay behind for a minute so that I could give you some advice.”

Kit was silent and staring down at his shoes, so Alec took that as confirmation to continue. “It’s extremely hard to come out to family. I know that you know that Jace is a very supportive person, but that doesn’t make it any less hard. Coming out to my parents was one of the hardest things that I’ve ever done. Coming out to friends isn’t easy, but it seems like there’s less at stake.”

“It’s stupid. I barely know Jace but it feels like my world’s going to collapse at the thought of telling him. But it also feels awful to keep him in the dark.”

Alec was silent for a moment, looking out into the horizon. “You don’t owe Jace this, Kit,” he finally said. “You don’t have to tell him tonight or at all. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll feel better after telling him. After all, the guilt you feel probably won’t go away until you tell him. And the awful feeling you’ll get when telling him only lasts until he responds. So if you do tell him, both awful feelings will go away, and then you can talk to him without feeling guilty.” Alec stood up, starting to walk away, before turning and saying softly, “Not to play the Parabatai card, but I know he misses talking to you. And he knows something is up, he just doesn’t know what.” With that, Alec turned back around and walked away, leaving Kit alone.

Kit sighed, running a hand through his hair. He put his head in his hands as he contemplated what Alec had said to him but soon heard footsteps approaching.

“Let’s go, Ty,” he said, not having to look up to know his boyfriend was the person standing in front of him. He stood up, finally looking over at Ty. He looked anxious, and Kit automatically felt awful for leaving him like that at the table. 

“Do you want to wait until another night? It’s -”

“No, I want to get this over with,” Kit whispered, taking Ty’s hand. Ty nodded, and they began walking back to the table. 

“Wait,” Kit said, stopping in his tracks. “I need to tell you I’m sorry-”

“It’s okay,” Ty said, smiling at him softly and squeezing his hand. With that, they continued to the table. Everyone was trying not to watch the two as they approached, but Kit could feel their eyes on him, and the visitor’s eyes drifted down to where his fingers were entwined with Ty’s. 

Kit had planned a whole pretense to the announcement, but when he cleared his throat and everyone turned to look at him, he simply said, “Ty and I are dating.”

Kit could see Ty next to him smile, both at the supportive smiles on everyone’s faces and the fact that that was his suggestion on how to break the news. Kit scanned his friend’s faces as they said their congratulations. Simon and Isabella were smiling warmly. Magnus and Alec had pure joy on their faces along with a little bit of pride. Clary had on a surprised smile, asking Emma how long they had been dating, who definitely was going to give a very incorrect answer. And Jace- 

Jace was staring at Kit, with an odd look on his face. He didn’t look unhappy or mad, but Kit couldn’t decipher it. Kit felt his heart drop out of his chest. This meant Jace didn’t accept him. His only blood relative he knew didn’t like him anymore. He was - 

Kit heard Jace’s voice, much quieter than usual say, “Let’s go talk over there.” 

Jace led Kit away from the table as Ty looked after them worriedly. Jace still had the odd expression on his face as he started slowly, “Um. So since I’m kinda the last blood family you know, I think I have to do this. Okay, so if Ty ever hurts you-”

“Wait, are you giving me the ‘dad talk’ right now?” Kit burst out laughing, finally figuring out that the expression on Jace’s face had just been anxiety.

Jace’s face reddened as he said, “Well, I also thought I’d have to give you the talk about the ‘birds and the bees.’”

“What does that mean?” Kit asked, making his expression confused. 

Jace’s face became even redder as he stuttered, “S-so a man and a wom- wait. I-I guess in your case it would be when a man and-”

Kit started laughing again, even harder, and realization struck Jace as he hit Kit’s shoulder lightly. “Hey! You’re not allowed to do that to a fellow Herondale!”

Jace smiled and laughed along with Kit, ruffling Kit’s hair affectionately. “Really though. Kit, I’m so proud of you for standing up in front of everyone tonight, and I’m so glad to see that you’ve found someone that makes you as happy as Clary makes me.”

Kit made a fake barfing sound at Jace’s expression, before hesitantly putting his arms around Jace. Jace seemed taken aback, before wrapping his arms around his younger family member, holding Kit tightly. 

Kit let go, clearing his throat. “Thank you, Jace. I was worried...actually, I’m not sure what I was worried about.” 

Jace started walking back, Kit next to him, as he said, “It’s okay. I know that this sort of thing can be difficult. Is that why you’ve been avoiding my calls?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“It better not, until you’ve made a huge mistake and you need to win Ty’s affection back.”

“Hey! Who says we’ll have a falling out?”

Jace chuckled. “You’re a Herondale. We’re very dramatic.”

Kit laughed as they approached the table again. Ty looked up at him, his concerned and anxious expression melting as soon as he saw the happiness on Kit’s face. Kit took a seat again, holding out his plate for the brownies that Julian was serving as dessert. He saw Alec looking at him, and he mouthed “thank you” to him. Alec smiled, with a slightly I-was-right look on his face. And he was. As Kit enjoyed dessert with his friends teasing each other about their most embarrassing fails while in battle and Ty’s hand in his on top of the table, he knew that he finally felt free for the first time in months.

**Author's Note:**

> I had a hard time coming up with how to write this prompt, because Kit and Ty don’t really have friends, so I just decided to go with the NY institute people being considered friends! Thank you for reading! Feedback is always appreciated:)


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